A shock jock comes a cropper with a gangland boss after having an affair with his wife. Although Banks loses his way a little bit in this novel and has a tendency to linger on certain details a little too long this is still a good read with the usual morally devious characters and some great scenes and political commentary.
Iain Banks' daring new novel opens in a loft apartment in the East End, in a former factory due to be knocked down in a few days. Ken Nott is a devoutly contrarian vaguely left wing radio shock-jock living in London. After a wedding breakfast people start dropping fruits from a balcony on to a deserted carpark ten storeys below, then they start dropping other things; an old TV that doesn't work, a blown loudspeaker, beanbags, other unwanted furniture...Then they get carried away and start dropping things that are still working, while wrecking the rest of the apartment. But mobile phones start ringing and they're told to turn on a TV, because a plane has just crashed into the World Trade Centre…
At ease with the volatility of modernity, Iain Banks is also our most accomplished literary writer of narrative-driven adventure stories that never ignore the injustices and moral conundrums of the real world. His new novel, displays his trademark dark wit, buoyancy and momentum.
'A Buchanesque adventure yarn set in 21st century London' - THE TIMES
'Banks has pulled off a great double - a deeply satirical and thought-provoking thriller that will make you laugh but will also have you shredding your fingernails.' - SUNDAY EXPRESS
'A thrilling read, it's a dazzlingly clever, edgy, suspenseful book.' - SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY
Author
About Iain Banks
Iain Banks came to widespread and controversial public notice with the publication of his first novel, THE WASP FACTORY, in 1984. He has since gained enormous popular and critical acclaim for both his mainstream and his science fiction novels (which are published under the name Iain M Banks).
